442 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
Writing about the Malva crispa (curled Mallow) Gerarde com- 
mends its salutary properties thus :— 
“Tf that of health you have any speciale care, 
Use French Mallowes, that to the body holsome are.” 
He reminds us that “The French, with their early spring 
sallets, intermix the young tops, and tender leaves of the Marsh 
Mallow, which they call Gimauve, for a most admirable nephritick.” 
MALT. 
SrarcH, such as that contained in the grain of cereals, Barley to 
wit, if subjected to moist heat begins to undergo fermentation, and 
is presently converted into sugar—maltose—at which stage fur- 
ther fermentation may be arrested by dry heat, the whole process 
being that of malting. Then if an extract is obtained from the 
malted grain,and some of it ina syrupy form is given together with 
foods which are starchy, this will materially aid their digestion, 
in a weakly person, by stimulaing their saccharine fermentation in 
the stomach. For instance, a specially digestible pudding may 
be made thus : Stir an ounce of ground malt into a pint of hot, 
but not boiling milk; strain through a sieve, and add the milk 
to two ounces of well-soaked rice. Mix well, and stand for ten 
minutes in a warm place ; then bake for an hour. But it is to be 
noted that the diastase, or active principle of malt, is killed by a 
temperature higher than 147° Fahrenheit. For preparing a Malt 
extract which the patient of feeble digestive powers may take 
with farinaceous starchy foods, three piled tablespoonfuls of 
crushed Malt are to be soaked in half a pint of cold water over 
night, and strained through muslin until clear, on the next 
morning. This liquid may be preserved in a tightly-corked 
bottle, with the addition of a teaspoonful of good brandy; though 
it is better to make it fresh every day. Add one tablespoo 
thereof to a basin of milk, or gruel, for malting the same. 
From the manufacturing chemist convenient Malt-extracts 
can be now procured, which are prepared by evaporating down 
an infusion of malted barley at low temperatures, or im vacuo. 
so as to preserve in an active form the diastatic ferment present 
in the Malt ; these extracts being given with the view of enrich- 
_ ing the supply of carbohydrates in the diet, and helping to malt 
the starchy foods which are taken additionally. Dr. Hutchison 
